Risk-Taking Behavior is offered as an interdisciplinary minor at the master's or doctoral level. The
15-hour minor consists of an introductory course, Seminar in Risk Taking, examining the concept of risk taking
from developmental, social psychological, sociological, and biosocial perspectives. Students then choose the
additional 12 hours from courses covering substance abuse and vulnerability to chemical dependency, family problems
associated with risk taking, deviance, and criminology. At least two of these courses must be outside the student's
home department.

The minor is administered by the Committee for Multidisciplinary Research on Adolescent and Adult
Risk-Taking Behavior. The committee is composed of faculty in Human Development and Family Studies;
Psychology; Education; and Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work. The purposes of the committee are to foster
collaborative research on risk taking and to serve as a resource for Texas Tech and the community. Research interests
of participants include substance abuse, codependency, decision processes associated with adolescent sexual
behavior, coping and social support, gender issues in risk taking, and developmental processes associated with
risk taking.

This minor should be useful for students interested in research on risk-taking behavior or for those planning
to work in applied settings with adolescents and young adults or with families. Consult the program coordinator
or individual departments for information on course scheduling. In addition to the courses listed below, special
topics courses related to risk taking may be included with the approval of the coordinator.